Whether you’re planning your first trip to the slopes, are a seasoned pro, or traveling with your family or solo, finding ways to save money on your ski holiday has never been more important. Prices are increasing in everything from accommodation to cable car passes, and the cost of living crisis continues to strain holidaymakers’ budgets.
It is undeniable that ski trips inevitably incur additional costs. It’s easy to blow the budget on extras like cable car passes and equipment hire, and the price of a mountain lunch at some popular resorts is often eye-watering.
If you’re planning for next season, here are our top tips to help you save money on your trip, including which accommodation to choose, alternative resorts to consider, how to cut the cost of extras when you arrive at the resort, and what to pack.
Before you go
1. Book an all-inclusive stay so everything is paid for before you travel. At one end of the scale is Action Outdoors, and at the other end is Club Med; The best part about both is that prices include cable car passes, lesson fees, and three meals a day.
2. If you prefer your own space, staying in a chalet or chalet hotel takes a lot of the guesswork out of how much you’ll spend once at the resort. Chalet lodging means you’ll get a cooked breakfast, afternoon tea (usually including cake and perhaps soup) and a three-course dinner every day except one day when the chalet hosts have a day off. Wine is often included at mealtimes, meaning you can also save money on bar hopping if you wish. “Consider traveling with another family or friends so you can book a larger ski chalet and keep the price per person low,” says Tim Andrews, founder of chalet rental specialist OVO Network. But be warned, if you want to stay in a catered chalet this season, be aware that the number available to British skiers has decreased significantly since Brexit and the pandemic.
3. Think flexible – the Heidi app, which launched last winter and recently announced trips to 20 more resorts, uses technology to connect people to lesser-known holiday destinations and book a variety of timed holidays, avoiding expensive Saturday-to-Saturday trips. This winter the application covers North America and Eastern Europe.
4. If you are traveling at the beginning or end of the season, consider booking your accommodation directly with the tourist office. Some resorts have great packages to entice visitors during the quieter months.
5. Buying foreign currency at the airport is a strict no-no; You will get the worst exchange rate. Also avoid using credit cards abroad because you will often face a high fee. Pre-loading the card with your chosen currency can save you money on bank fees and provide a more favorable exchange rate. For example, the Revolut card allows travelers to spend in stores or online without paying any fees. Whether you withdraw money from the ATM or use the card to pay, it automatically converts the money into local currency at the best possible rate. Here are the biggest mistakes you should avoid with your travel money.
6. One of the best ways to save money is to forget about the Alpine mega-resorts and head somewhere lesser-known, both in terms of holiday cost and resort prices. Eastern Europe has seen huge growth as a ski destination in recent years due to extremely competitive package costs, especially in Bulgarian resorts such as Bansko. However, if you are an adventurous, intermediate or expert skier or snowboarder, you may find the terrain limited and frustrating. Choosing instead the Pyrenees, with resorts such as Baqueira-Beret in Spain, the Grandvalira region in Andorra and the Grand Tourmalet region in France, gives you access to diverse and challenging runs at a fraction of the cost of a trip to the Alps. Find this season’s best budget-friendly ski holidays here.
7. It may be difficult for families to save money on skiing due to school holidays. It may be cheaper to choose the Easter break instead of the February half term, and you can save twice the money by considering smaller, less well-known holiday destinations.
for the journey
8. Eurostar can be booked for up to 330 days, i.e. approximately 11 months, and connecting TGV services can be booked 90 days in advance; so plan ahead to get the best prices. It’s possible to book the ski train to France this winter directly with Eurostar (including a change in Lille).
9. Morzine-based chalet company Alikats is one of a growing number of operators offering discounts of up to 20 per cent to guests traveling by train. The Montagne Verte card also offers Morzine and Avoriaz visitors discounts on things like equipment rental, lessons and cable car passes if they have proof of a valid train ticket.
10. Going to the Alps can be a great value; It has the advantage of allowing you to fill your car with food (and booze), plus it’s more environmentally friendly. Avoid filling up the car on the highway; To find the cheapest local fuel prices, visit plein-moins-cher.fr. Use our guide to driving to the Alps for more advice.
11. Worried about fuel costs? Consider driving an electric vehicle thanks to a growing network of charging stations in resorts.
12. Avoid the hustle and bustle of Geneva or Chambery and consider flying to less frequent hubs. Ryanair operates flights to Turin, with access to Italian resorts such as Champoluc and Courmayeur, as well as Klagenfurt, located in the heart of Austria’s lesser-known province of Carinthia.
on the slopes
13. Once you know where you’re going, check the resort’s website for lift ticket deals, including group discounts, early-bird offers, and family rates. Traveling with children? Check the age limit for free passes; In Le Grand Massif (Flaine, Les Carroz and Samöens) this age limit is up to eight, and in Zermatt it is up to nine.
14. Consider what else is included in your pass; swimming pool access, local discounts and more will fill your week with free activities.
15. Skiing in Italy? Visit Alto.ski for a pass that only charges you for the days you ski. Tignes and Val d’Isère offer similar benefits with A La Carte cards.
at the resort
16. Cook your own food, but think carefully first. Will you really want to cook every night and will you be able to buy what you need at the resort at a good price? To avoid additional costs, use a meal delivery service like Huski or pack ready-made meals (homemade or otherwise) if you’re driving.
17. Chalet companies like Chalets1066 and Ski France offer the classic accommodation option, but pick and choose the level of food and drink you want to budget for on your own terms.
18. One of the most expensive extras when on holiday is buying lunch on the mountain, especially if you’re staying at an expensive Alpine resort. Instead of paying €20 for a burger and fries every day, buy sandwich ingredients and snacks from your local supermarket and make it yourself. Don’t go to any old picnic spot for lunch, go somewhere like the three planchas of Serre Chevalier; outdoor grills that do not require charcoal and on-site staff on hand to clean them between uses.
in your suitcase
19. Rent whenever possible. Use EcoSki or WhoSki for clothing and book your equipment rental in advance with organizations like Intersport or SkiSet; You’ll save nearly 50 percent off on-site prices.
20. Give new life to your old ski or snowboard boots with insoles. Superfeet’s Winter Comfort pair is £50.